Travel News

What to Expect on a Cruise: Cruise Ship Casinos

By Elaine Bailey

January 24, 2023

Let’s say you have booked your cruise trip, and the date for boarding is fast approaching. You are looking forward to escaping work for some weeks, and you see the opportunity of playing casino on a cruise ship as the one you can’t pass up. It will be a first for you, so you are excited, but you also want to know what to expect. Well, you have come to the right place, as in this article, we go over everything from the type of games you should find to whatever rewards you may expect. So, make sure to bookmark this page, as you will likely not want to lose it.

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Experiences on Cruise Ship Casinos

Whether you are a cruise ship connoisseur or a first-timer, gambling on a cruise ship will feel different from what you are used to. However, to help calm any fears you might have, in this section, we’ll be going over what to expect from cruise ship casinos when it comes to these 5 topics:

  1. Loyalty Program

Most cruise ships offer their customers loyalty programs for using their services. However, there are also separate programs for casino players you can benefit from. Like with a normal casino, each bet you make helps to increase your reward points. Rewards vary from ship to ship, but you can expect free drinks and various fun activities.

Princess Cruises All-Inclusive Premier Package
  1. Cost Of Drinks

Drinks are usually free when it comes to luxury cruise ships, but for most ships, you will need to pay for your drink. However, the pit manager does have the power and authority to buy drinks for the table. So the next time you plan your casino tourism, include some cash for drinks. However, if you are part of a loyalty program, you might have extra perks covering drinks, priority check-ins, and boarding. 

Slot Machine One Handed Bandit Game. Rolling Drums. Casinos and Gambling Industry.
  1. Types Of Machines

Most, if not all, cruise ship casinos have popular casino slot machines. You will have endless opportunities to have fun and make money on board. You can also expect to find Roulette tables and, if lucky, a Baccarat table.

  1. Tournaments

Most cruise ships have tournaments, which range from Poker to Slot games. For most of them, you will need to pay a buy-in before you can join, but then you won’t have to worry about spending any money again. It’s important to note, however, that for most cruise ship casino tournaments that allow rebuy, the winner is the one that continuously rebuys until the end. If you are going to play at a casino, there are often many ways to pay. You can read BestCasinoPlay reviews to find a good casino and learn more about payment options and other essential topics. Their reviews are written by professionals and are unbiased, so you can be sure you are getting the best advice.

Photo by Anna Shvets
  1. Availability

Sadly, the casinos on cruise ships aren’t open 24/7. The only times the casinos can be available are when the ship is out on the open sea or when it’s docked at a country’s port where gambling is permitted. However, despite these restrictions, you will still find that you can gamble most of the time. Before picking a cruise ship, you should confirm their casinos’ schedule. Some casinos only open at night, even when out at sea. As most guests tend to carry out other activities during the day, this is often considered a cost-saving measure, so do proper research on this.

In Conclusion

A vacation on a cruise ship can be a great way to spend your free time. Aside from the many great amenities on these ships, you can also access casinos. As mentioned in this article, the casino experience isn’t that different from the one on the land-based casino, but there are some extra details to keep in mind. So, the next time you are on a cruise ship with a casino, try it out and see what all the fuss is about for yourself